Our Next Meeting: Friday July 13, 2001 at 8 PM in the Wantagh Public Library.
Yes, the Wantagh Library WILL be available for this Friday's meeting. Roof repairs will be delayed until August, so in all likelihood our August and possibly September meetings will be relocated and or cancelled. Due to the previously unknown status of the July meeting, no speaker or presentation was planned. However, the July meeting will include our traditional review of Field Day. We are also hoping to have some of our usual spirited discussions about club activities, operating, etc.
Webmaster Frank Porcaro N2RSO is also seeking historical info about the club and its history, so it may be a good time to give personal recollections. If you have any old photos or documentation of past club events, please bring them down and let Frank scan them for posting on the website.
I have also had inquiries from some folks who saw our NLI Newsletter Listing and they've asked about license upgrade classes and entry level licensing classes. I also believe some of our present members have expressed an interest in upgrading as well. This will be a good time to start planning fall code and theory classes.
Yes, 2001 Field Day has come and gone. After months of planning and hard work, the weekend was once again a successful event for our club. Beginning at 10 AM Saturday morning, the last of us finally left the site approximately 6 PM Sunday evening. Over the 32-hour period the event was well represented by over a dozen members of the club. This year we also had up to 8 members on site between midnight and 8 AM Sunday morning.
With rain threatening throughout the weekend; the agenda included a midnight to 3 AM steady rainstorm that tested the weather capability of our tents and crew. However, unlike previous years, the temps were cool and the mosquito population was almost non-existent. Several of us also enjoyed the Saturday post-setup and Sunday afternoon pre-knockdown barbecues along with Sunday morning McDonald's breakfast.
Our 2A transmitter setup was kept on the air for most of the 24 hr operational period. The 250-foot multiband wire antenna supported by a 36 ft center mast was a success and proved very effective on 80 and 40 meters. Band propagation and noise level conditions were excellent on 80 through 20, and 15 meters was unexpectedly open to W6-land & beyond, past midnight.
Due to overly ambitious planning the vhf station antenna and tri-band beam/ladder support were not setup. We also did not get to use a pair of 30 ft member-built masts (by Dan KB2HTB and Frank N2RSO) and an extra Radio Shack 36 ft mast. However, it's always good to have a large inventory of equipment. Based on this year's experiences members are already planning setups for next year's event.
Park personnel also delivered two picnic tables to the site Saturday morning that were used as our equipment setup benches and eating tables. An overly ambitious young Nassau Park Ranger made an unexpected visit to the site Saturday afternoon asking, "What we were doing there" and requesting a copy of our permit. The Wantagh Park Supervisor and another Nassau County Park Ranger also made several stops by the site to check on our well being; and engage us in some friendly and humorous conversations. Site visitors also included NLI Section personnel, park patrons and a local tech licensee who saw our listing on the NLI Section web page and expressed interest in joining the club.
This year's Field Day is also well documented and captured on our brand new WANTAGH AMATEUR RADIO CLUB WEB PAGE. Frank Porcaro, N2RSO, created it in June of this year. Frank has given the club a window into cyber world. The club's URL link is also listed on the Hudson Division and NLI Section web page club listings as well as cross-listed by several other NLI Section Club Web pages. The site includes several photos of previous field days and club events. It also contains a newsletter archive and tons of links to other ham activities, equipment mfrs, local clubs and emergency preparedness topics. Also included is a Member/Guest Sign-In page, site visitor counter and email links to club officers and information personnel. It also has several downloadable digital photos of this year's field day, past field days and the May 2001 Coast Guard tour. Plus more!- - - (like some audio and humor). So check it out and let us know what you think. Just click here on http://www.qsl.net/w2va.
Officers:
Vic Panzica, President, K2IY
Vin Vignati, Vice President, KD2EP
Herman Milatz, Treasurer, W2TLC
Bill Kelly, Secretary, N2RRX
Arnold Tarallo, Board Member, W2OEJ
Al Bockelman, Board Member, K2ES
The meeting was opened at 8:15 PM by Vic K2IY.
The secretary accepted the May 2001 minutes as read.
Treasurer's Report: There is currently $1025 in the treasury. All members are paid up.
DX Report: Len KB2HK reported that 15 meters was coming in well over the north pole. However, the noise level remains very high and the solar flares have been extraordinary during this period.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
-Park permit received for FD.
-Frank Porcaro N2RSO has the web page up and running at www.qsl.net/w2va .
-Vic K2IY has updated the club's listing with the ARRL.
-No board meeting was held in June due to scheduling conflicts.
Vic K2IY and Art N2NB made a request for a small donation to assist in funding the FAA's summer program for disadvantaged children. Art N2NB offered a motion "that the WARC make a donation of $25 to support the FAA's program." Dan KB2HTB seconded the motion. After a brief discussion the motion passed without dissent.
Art N2NB brought us up to date on his Sable Island DXpedition. He will be meeting with the other team members the last week in July. If all goes well, they will go on the second week in November.
The next club meeting may be in the parking
lot due to construction at the library. (Ed’s note: The
meeting will be held IN the Library as usual)
LIMARC hamfest is Sunday June 10th at Briarcliff College.
The business meeting adjourned at 8:50 PM.
After consuming donuts and coffee we returned for an FD meeting. We finalized our plans for the 23rd and 24th of June Field Day. Jack KI2M and Vin KD2EP proposed that the triband beam and ladder be used again this year along with the new multiband wire antenna. No immediate plans were made for food. Vic will purchase soda. Food will be purchased on Saturday depending on who was present on site.
Vic Panzica K2IY